Janelle Monae: Bringing Mainstream Pop into the 28th-Century

Janelle Monae, born in 1985 in Kansas City, first appeared on OutKast's last album Idlewild. Singing on the tracks "Call the Law" and "In Your Dreams", her skill as a vocalist is quite clear; what is not as clear is that she has the capacity to produce music as varied and boundary-pushing as she does on her first EP Metropolis: Suite I and recently-released debut album The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III). These two releases are thrilling in both scope and concept, and are definitely indicative of a legend-in-the-making. Monae is able to effortlessly move between a variety of genres and styles, from neo-soul to slinky cabaret to brit-folk, all without ever sounding contrived or sacrificing her own personality. It is this quality that makes her studio albums epic in every sense of the word. The ArchAndroid alone is a towering accomplishment, the rare musical masterpiece that actually deserves such a lofty title. If people are still listening to music in 20 years, I truly believe this will still be on heavy rotation.

Monae ambitiously uses the album to tell the story of Cindi Mayweather, an android in the year 2719 who is sent to save the people of Metropolis from an oppressive society called the Great Divide. While this central concept is what ties the two suites of the album together (each is marked by an orchestral overture), understanding it is not crucial to enjoying the album. The songs fit in with her Afrofuturistic style, but they go beyond mere concept and work brilliantly on their own; first single "Tightrope" is a funky, upbeat thriller bursting with vocal acrobatics, personality, and Monae's signature flair. Other standout tracks from the album include "Cold War", the R&B/folk blend of "Oh, Maker", the Of Montreal collaboration "Make the Bus", and the spooky, guitar-based "Come Alive (War of the Roses)".

Despite the stellar quality of her album, her unique music hasn't quite caught on with the general public yet. It sold just 21,000 copies it's first week in release, which is a far cry from the amount moved by other pop acts like Lady Gaga. However Ms. Gaga never put out a sprawling 18-track concept album about a messiah-like robot in the future, nor did she dabble in genres as non-radio-friendly as cabaret and pastoral folk, so perhaps comparing the two isn't exactly fair... if Gaga is a modern-day Madonna, then Monae is the black female David Bowie; immersing herself in ridiculous but compelling concepts, effortlessly shifting between disparate musical styles, and writing music for the ages.